(VIDEO) South African COVID variant discovered from Sri Lanka

Colombo (News 1st); The South African variant (B.1.351) of COVID-19 was discovered in Sri Lanka for the first time, said Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, the Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

He said researchers sequenced 93 SARS-CoV2 viruses collected during the last month. "We sequenced samples from Mahiyanganaya, Avisawella, Pelmadulla, Ehiliyagoda, Wadduwa, Kuruwita, Biyagama, Matale, Rattota, Kalutara, and CMC. All 81 were of the B.1.411 Sri Lankan lineage. However, one virus of these 81 from Mahiyangana had the E484K mutation. This is a mutation of concern," he said. He said a returnee from Tanzania had the B.1.351 South African variant for the Coronavirus. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBUT8xEfnM[/embed]